"Today, I thank the Senate for confirming Ambassador Al Lenhardt as Deputy Administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development. With a critical mission of ending extreme poverty and delivering life-saving American assistance to people in need all around the world, a key priority of mine is filling important vacancies across the Agency with exceptional individuals. Under his leadership, Al will continue to strengthen USAID’s ability to reduce hunger and malnutrition, end preventable child death, double access to electricity in Sub Saharan Africa, and secure an AIDS-free generation. He is a proven leader whose experience and knowledge will be a tremendous asset to our Agency. As the United States Ambassador to Tanzania, Al supported and helped to lead on some of USAID’s most significant priorities, namely President Obama’s Feed the Future and Power Africa initiatives. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to serve the American people with dignity. He retired in 1997 from the U.S. Army as a Major General and continued to serve his country as 36th Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. Senate, becoming the first African American to serve as an officer of Congress, in addition to holding several leadership positions in business and non-profit organizations. I am grateful to welcome Al to USAID at this critical time in our work, and I know he will live up to the high standards of the office and USAID’s mission.”